361
Service Resources / Re: JRF Magnetic Sciences!
« on: January 23, 2007, 11:26:10 PM »
JRF is absolutely one of the blue chip companies in this field.
Check out the new Tape Project website at tapeproject.com, now with online ordering. Inventory is updated every week, so stop by often to see what we have in stock.
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
362
Tape Tech / Re: Hey Paul, any plans on another bias clinic
« on: January 21, 2007, 10:25:50 PM »
Hi Steve,
ATR Service did indeed host a day-long seminar at our place the day after the AES convention closed last October. They covered machine alignment in depth. The target audience was studio engineers who use analog tape machines, not necessarily maintenance techs.
They do these clinics from time to time in various parts of the country. There is not any plan currently to do another one in San Francisco, but if the AES brings the convention back to SF in 2008 it's a very good bet that it'll happen again.
ATR Service did indeed host a day-long seminar at our place the day after the AES convention closed last October. They covered machine alignment in depth. The target audience was studio engineers who use analog tape machines, not necessarily maintenance techs.
They do these clinics from time to time in various parts of the country. There is not any plan currently to do another one in San Francisco, but if the AES brings the convention back to SF in 2008 it's a very good bet that it'll happen again.
363
Suggestion Box / Re: Test tones on ALL tape releases??
« on: January 20, 2007, 09:13:54 PM »Here's a question - do your masters you plan on using have these test tones? A number of the masters I have do. If your's don't, how do you know if the machine they were recorded on was in fact in calibration that day? Once the tones are on the tape with the original material they are ALWAYS there "thru thick and thin" - even if the subsequent playback/recording (dubbing) chain is in fact slightly?? out of EQ.
Charles,
The tapes that we use as a starting point are the original session tapes. Generally they have tones included. I believe that it's a good policy to record project tones at the start of any recording or mix project...that's the way I was trained and that's the way I've been doing it for over thirty years. And yes, I agree with you that these tones should always stay with the tapes. This may not be obvious to some readers, but for me it's second nature now. When I start a recording project on tape, I align the machine using a standard test tape (I have many from MRL, STL and even Ampex). Then once the record side is aligned, I print a set of tones that stay with the tapes. I started doing this way back in my first studio, but I really had it drilled into me during the years I worked for Columbia Records. Some years back SPARS, the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services, standardised the tones to be used: 1K, 10K, 15K, 100, and 50 Hz. This is fine with me, and that's what I generally use. The two HF tones give you both a reference for frequency response and a pair of tones for azimuth that are not harmonically related (long story for another day). The two low frequency tones give you a fighting chance of understanding what's going on with the head bumps.
Anyway, this is about the original tapes. I'm feeling the pull to start telling some of the many tales about what we have actually found on tapes coming in...but that's a whole 'nuther thread. When I get a chance I'll start a "War Stories" thread in the Tape Tech part of this forum.
364
Suggestion Box / Re: Test tones on ALL tape releases??
« on: January 17, 2007, 11:59:09 PM »
This is a good point. Maybe even more than you, we are very interested in seeing all our customers get the most out of these tapes. And we agree that the machine must be set up properly if that's going to happen.
We have been discussing various ways to ensure that. It may or may not involve a set of tones on each album. After I have just had those waves of glorious sound washing over me, about the last wakeup call I want is a 1K tone at zero level coming out of my speakers.
But it will happen in some form. Right now we are leaning toward supplying each charter subscriber with an MRL test tape, and hooking him/her up with a qualified studio tech in his/her area to confirm the machine's performance in situ. Once that's done, I don't think the machines should drift. Regular cleaning and maybe a annual checkup should take care of it.
Paul Stubblebine
We have been discussing various ways to ensure that. It may or may not involve a set of tones on each album. After I have just had those waves of glorious sound washing over me, about the last wakeup call I want is a 1K tone at zero level coming out of my speakers.
But it will happen in some form. Right now we are leaning toward supplying each charter subscriber with an MRL test tape, and hooking him/her up with a qualified studio tech in his/her area to confirm the machine's performance in situ. Once that's done, I don't think the machines should drift. Regular cleaning and maybe a annual checkup should take care of it.
Paul Stubblebine
365
Suggestion Box / Thanks for the suggestions-keep 'em coming
« on: January 16, 2007, 07:13:40 PM »
I love getting turned on to new music, and I look forward to getting some good leads from y'all.
You may not see much action on them right away...it can be a long term process. But rest assured, we take them all seriously.
Paul Stubblebine
You may not see much action on them right away...it can be a long term process. But rest assured, we take them all seriously.
Paul Stubblebine